Community Health Centers: Discretionary and Mandatory Funding

Overview

• The Community Health Center Program, which is administered by HHS, awards grants to outpatient health care facilities that provide care to medically underserved areas or populations.
• Discretionary and Mandatory:  The program is funded through–
  • annual discretionary appropriations (Labor-HHS bill); and
  • the Community Health Center Fund — mandatory funding enacted as part of the Affordable Care Act.
• CHC’s are governed by a community board composed of a majority (51% or more) of health center patients who represent the population served.
• CHC’s provide comprehensive primary health care services as well as supportive services (education, translation and transportation, etc.) that promote access to health care.
• CHC’s provide services available to all with fees adjusted based on ability to pay.

Links to Organizations and Resources

• NACHC:  What is a community health center?
• HRSA (HHS) Community Health Center program requirements
• CRS: The Community Health Center Fund: In Brief
• KFF:  Community Health Centers: Recent Growth and the Role of the ACA  Jan 2017